Centrifugal governor



ATTORNEY w. BARTH ET A1.-

CENTRIFUGAL GOVERNOR Filed sept. 12,` 1960 M .1 w 6 W O` A we m r 0 /\W/// m M me W q m Oct. 24, 1961 United States Patent 3,005,350 CENTRIFUGAL GOVERNOR Walter Barth and Gnter Jahn, Friedrichshafen, Germany, assignors to Maybach-Motorenbau G.m.b.H., Friedrichshafen, Germany, a irm of Germany Filed Sept. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 55,437 4 Claims. (Cl. 73-544) The present invention relates to a centrifugal governor, particularly for internal combustion piston engines, having a. light running spring and a full load spring arranged in series relation to the lightrunning spring, both springs being located in the housing of the governor and means extending outside of the housing being provided for adjusting the tension of the springs.

The invention also relates more particularly to locking means for locking the adjusting means for the springs in the desired position, the locking means being adapted for manipulation at the outside of the governor housing.

In the governor according to the invention a spring plate for the light running spring and a spring plate for the full load spring are relatively axially movably interconnected, a locking means being provided for securing the spring plates in the desired relative axial position. The locking means can be moved out of the locking position by adjusting means lwhich extend outside of the governor housing and which are also adapted to adjust the relative axial position of the two spring plates.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention a spring plate for a light running spring is placed coaxially 0f a spring plate for a full load spring of a centrifugal governor, the spring plates having complementary threaded portions, screwed one into the other, for adjusting the relative axial position of the plates by revolving one plate relative to the other. This can be elected by rotating an actuating and locking member which is axially movably but not rotatably connected to one of the spring plates. This member has a portion adapted to engage the other spring plate whereby relative rotation of the spring plates is prevented. A locking spring is interposed between the member and the spring plate to which the member is axially movably connected to urge the member into the locking position in which the member engages the other spring plate. For rotating the spring plate to which the member is axially movably connected, the member is pushed out of the locking position against the action of the locking spring by an element of the adjusting means which extends outside of the governor housing, whereupon the member and the spring plate which is axially movably but not rotatably connected to the member are rotated by the adjusting means.

The full load spring is preferab-ly confined between the spring plate which is axially movably connected to a spring plate of the light running spring, and a second spring plate having an extension screwed into a threaded bore of the governor housing and extending outside of the housing. The last mentioned spring plate is provided with a bore through which the adjusting means for actuating the above described actuating and locking member extends axially movably and rotatably to the outside of the governor housing. The part of the adjusting means extending through the bore in the second spring plate of the full load spring may be in the form of a screw driver adapted to engage a corresponding recess in the actuating and locking member and provided with a collar at the portion which is inside the housing for preventing slipping of the adjusting means through the 4bore in the spring plate and out of the governor housing. A set screw may be provided at the part of the adjusting means outside of the governor housing for securing the adjusting means in the desired position relative to the second spring plate of the full load spring.

Y 3,005,350 Patented Oct. 24, 1961 As a modification of the arrangement described in the paragraph next above, the part of the adjusting means` extending through the bore in the second spring plate of the full load spring may beA permanently connected to the actuating and locking member. In that case the adjusting means participate in the movement of the interconnected spring plates.

The novel features which are considered characteristici of the invention lare set forth with particularity in the appended claims. ditional objects and advantages thereof will best be understood from the following description of embodiments thereof when read in connection with the accompanyingv -shaft 4 pivotally supporting-governor weights 5 is driven by a gear 3 and extends through the wall portion 1. The weights 5 actuate a governor sleeve 6 in the conventional manner. The stroke of the sleeve 6 is limited by a nut 7 screwed to one end of a spindle which extends throughthe shaft 4 outside of the governor casing andwhose second end is operatively connected to the sleeve6.

A light running coil spring 8 is interposed between a spring plate 9 having an axial protuberance abutting against the sleeve 6 and a spring plate element 10 axially screwed at 14 into a housing 12 for the light runnin spring 8. v

Numeral 11 designates a full load coil spring which is interposed between a spring plate 13 and an annular shoulder on the housing 12 which forms a spring plate element.

The tension of the spring 8 can be adjusted by rotation of the element 10 in the housing 12 which rotation is effected by pushing an actuating and locking member 15, which is axially movable in the element 10 but not rotatable therein, against the action of a locking spring 18 into the element 10 and rotating the member 15. This is effected by inserting a square head 25 at the end of a spindle 22 coaxially extending through the element 13 into a corresponding cavity 19 in the end of the member 15 and rotating the spindle 22. When the desired relative axial position of the housing 12 and of the element 10 is obtained, the spindle 22 is released from the member 15. The latter is provided with radial protuberances 17 fitting into corresponding recses extending radially from a Ibore in the lower end of the housing 12 adapted to receive the lower end of the member 15. Upon removal of the square head 25 from the cavity 19 the spring 18 presses the lower end of the member 15 into the aperture in the bottom of the housing 12 whereby, due to the insertion of the protuberances 17 in the respective recesses, rotation of the member 15 in the housing 12 and consequently relative rotation of the housing 12 and the element 10 are prevented. The spindle 22 which forms part of the means for adjusting the relative axial position of the spring plates 10 and 12, extends through an axial bore in the spring plate element 13 to the outside of the governor casing. The outside end of the spindle is provided with a square head 26 for rotating the spindle by a suitable tool. The spindle 22 is provided with a collar 24 below the square head 25 for retaining the spindle in the spring plate element 13. The end of the spindle extending outside of the governor casing is threaded. The spin- .dle 22 is secured in the element 13 by screwing a radially split nut onto the threaded part of the spindle until the nut as well as the collar 24 abut the element 13. By tightening a clamping screw 23 the position of the nut on the spindle 22 can be secured.

The invention itself, however, and ad- The spring'plate 13 has a threaded, axial extension 20 screwed into the Wall portion 2 and can be secured in the desired position in the wall portion 2 by tightening a nut 21.

We claim:

l. A centrifugal governor comprising a casing, an axially movable governor spindle having `an end extending outside of said casing, said spindle having an end portion inside said casing, rotating weight means operatively connected to said end portion and to said casing for axially moving said spindle upon a change of the rotational speed of said weight means, a coil spring placed in said casing coaxial of said spindle, a spring plate placed at one end of said coil spring and abuttingly cooperating with said end portion, a second coil spring placed in said casing coaxial of said spindle, a first spring plate element placed at one end of said second coil spring, a second spring plate element placed at the second end of said rst spring, said spring plate elements having cooperating threaded cylindrical portions coaxial of said spindle, a spring plate means placed at the second end of said second spring and having a portion extending outside of said casing, and adjusting means including a locking member axially movably connected to said second spring plate element but'no't rotatable relative thereto, said locking member and said first spring plate element individually including means engaging each other for preventing relative rotational movement of said locking member and said first spring plate element when said locking member is in a predetermined axial position relative to said iirst spring plate element, a locking spring interposed between said locking member and said second spring plate element for urging said locking member toward said predetermined axial position, said adjusting means including a rodlike element axially and rotatably movably extending through said spring plate means outside of said casing and having an end adapted to engage said locking member for pushing the latter out of said predetermined position against the action of said locking spring by axial movement of said rodlike element into said casing and to rotate said second spring plate element upon rotation of said rodlike element for adjusting the relative axial position of said spring plate elements.

2. A centrifugal governor according to claim l and wherein said rodlike element includes means for securing said rodlike element in said spring plate means in an inactive position whereby said rodlike element is disengaged from said -locking member and said locking spring is permitted to urge said locking member into said predetermined position.

3. A centrifugal governor according to claim l and wherein said rodlike element has an end portion insidesaid casing, said end portion being provided with an annular shoulder adapted to abut against said spring plate means for preventing falling of said rodlike element out of said casing.

4. A centrifugal governor according to claim l and wherein said rodlike element is permanently connected tosaid locking member.

References Cited in the iile'of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,669,983 Reddy et al. Feb. 23, 1954 

